AN: There are many other things I need to be doing but I've had a bad day so I'm listening to Jeremy Jordan and writing this instead and even though it turned out to be somewhat of a filler chapter, I do not regret that decision

When Katherine was re-hired at The World to get working on John Doe, some things had come with the job: a salary raise, an actual office instead of just a desk and a typewriter, and, apparently, an office full of newsboys who seemed to have their hearts set on giving her a headache.

"So John Doe ain't real, huh?"

"And a girl reporter made him up, ain't that something?"

"We all thought he was real, what with the way you wrote him, good job, miss."

"Is Jack gonna have to jump off a bridge?"

"Why'd you write the part about him jumping off the bridge anyway?"

"So does this mean Jack is gonna be famous? Can you put us in the papes, too?"

"Boys!" Jack's voice was loud enough to drown out all the chatter. "You're all here so Plumber could explain this to you, not so you could crowd her, this is a business place, alright? Let her talk."

Katherine felt herself relax, and as the newsies fell silent, she now knew that he was skilled when it came to commanding the attention of a crowd. Yet another reason why he was their John Doe.

"Thank you, Jack. Now, I don't think I was quite able to hear all of your questions, but I can give you the short version of the situation. I did in fact write the John Doe column myself, and since none of us here at The World wanted it to end there, we've decided to keep it going with a series of articles and speeches written by myself, and Jack is going to be the face of John Doe - giving speeches, posing for pictures, and just talking to people who are struggling. And no, he will not be jumping off of a bridge."

"How long're you gonna be doing this for?" One of the shorter boys in the front asked, and Katherine was grateful for a logical question.

"Well it's mid-January now, and the column specified Christmas Eve, so until December 23rd of next year, unless I can think of a logical reason between now and then for John Doe not to commit suicide."

"That's cheery." A tall blonde boy remarked. "So Jack's not gonna be selling papes for a year?"

"Yes, but I assure you we will be paying him, much more than he normally makes."

That seemed to lose their attention, and they started muttering quietly to each other. Understandably confused, Katherine turned to look at Jack, who seemed to know exactly what was happening.

"Hey, fellas, don't worry, I ain't gonna let you starve." He looked up at Katherine. "Listen, I don't exactly know how this stuff works, and I've never had any kind of regular salary, but could I lend some of what I make to the boys? I usually give 'em part of my share anyway, since sometimes they don't make enough to get by on."

She was shocked that he looked genuinely worried about her response, and whether or not she was going to let him help these boys financially. Suddenly, she didn't know how she'd gotten so lucky when she'd decided to choose him as John Doe.

"Jack, you can do anything you want with your salary, and I certainly wouldn't stop you from using it to help your boys."

He relaxed visibly. "Thanks, Plumber."

Katherine gave him a smile. "You don't have to call me that, you know. It's not even my real last name."

Jack shrugged. "Don't know you well enough to call you by anything else yet - besides, I'm trying to sound professional in front of the fellas."

She didn't quite understand what the first part of his statement meant, but he seemed to know exactly what he was saying, so he decided not to question it.

"Jack, you're about as professional as I am." The same blonde boy from earlier spoke up, and Jack rolled his eyes.

"Y'know Race, that might just be the worst insult you've ever thrown at me."

"Yeah, whatever." The boy, Race, waved him off. "At least I ain't gonna be the one who'll have to put on suits and talk all fancy."

A boy next to him shoved his shoulder. "That didn't even make any sense."

"Sure it did, you're just too dimwitted to understand it."

Katherine watched Jack and the other newsies bantering back and forth, but they weren't giving her a headache anymore. If anything, they were making her more confident in the John Doe Movement, and it was her hope that between her writing and Jack's presence, they would soon be able to bring other people in this country as close to each other as these boys were. And that hope was beginning to look more like a reality. In the back of her mind, she thought that this idea of hers might just be something she could be proud of.